Jesus Walks on the Water^(A)(B)

²² Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. ²³ After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray.^(C) Later that night, he was there alone, ²⁴ and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.

²⁵ Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. ²⁶ When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,”^(D) they said, and cried out in fear.

²⁷ But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage!^(E) It is I. Don’t be afraid.”^(F)

²⁸ “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

²⁹ “Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. ³⁰ But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

³¹ Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,”^(G) he said, “why did you doubt?”

³² And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. ³³ Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”^(H)

³⁴ When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret. ³⁵ And when the men of that place recognized Jesus, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought all their sick to him ³⁶ and begged him to let the sick just touch the edge of his cloak,^(I) and all who touched it were healed.

Paul’s Farewell to the Ephesian Elders

¹³ We went on ahead to the ship and sailed for Assos, where we were going to take Paul aboard. He had made this arrangement because he was going there on foot. ¹⁴ When he met us at Assos, we took him aboard and went on to Mitylene. ¹⁵ The next day we set sail from there and arrived off Chios. The day after that we crossed over to Samos, and on the following day arrived at Miletus.^{(A) 16} Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus^(B) to avoid spending time in the province of Asia,^(C) for he was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem,^(D) if possible, by the day of Pentecost.^(E)

¹⁷ From Miletus,^(F) Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders^(G) of the church. ¹⁸ When they arrived, he said to them: “You know how I lived the whole time I was with you,^(H) from the first day I came into the province of Asia.^{(I) 19} I served the Lord with great humility and with tears^(J) and in the midst of severe testing by the plots of my Jewish opponents.^{(K) 20} You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything^(L) that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house. ²¹ I have declared to both Jews^(M) and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance^(N) and have faith in our Lord Jesus.^(O)

²² “And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem,^(P) not knowing what will happen to me there. ²³ I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me^(Q) that prison and hardships are facing me.^{(R) 24} However, I consider my life worth nothing to me;^(S) my only aim is to finish the race^(T) and complete the task^(U) the Lord Jesus has given me^(V)—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.^(W)

²⁵ “Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom^(X) will ever see me again.^{(Y) 26} Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of any of you.^{(Z) 27} For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God.^{(AA) 28} Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock^(AB) of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers.^(AC) Be shepherds of the church of God,^[a](AD) which he bought^(AE) with his own blood.^{[b](AF) 29} I know that after I leave, savage wolves^(AG) will come in among you and will not spare the flock.^{(AH) 30} Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples^(AI) after them. ³¹ So be on your guard! Remember that for three years^(AJ) I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.^(AK)

³² “Now I commit you to God^(AL) and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance^(AM) among all those who are sanctified.^{(AN) 33} I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing.^{(AO) 34} You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions.^{(AP) 35} In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”

³⁶ When Paul had finished speaking, he knelt down with all of them and prayed.^{(AQ) 37} They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him.^{(AR) 38} What grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face again.^(AS) Then they accompanied him to the ship.^(AT)

Psalm 34^[a][b]

Of David. When he pretended to be insane^(A) before Abimelek, who drove him away, and he left.

The Altar of Incense^(A)

30 “Make an altar^(B) of acacia wood for burning incense.^{(C) 2} It is to be square, a cubit long and a cubit wide, and two cubits high^[a]—its horns^(D) of one piece with it. ³ Overlay the top and all the sides and the horns with pure gold, and make a gold molding around it.^{(E) 4} Make two gold rings^(F) for the altar below the molding—two on each of the opposite sides—to hold the poles used to carry it. ⁵ Make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold.^{(G) 6} Put the altar in front of the curtain that shields the ark of the covenant law—before the atonement cover^(H) that is over the tablets of the covenant law—where I will meet with you.

⁷ “Aaron must burn fragrant incense^(I) on the altar every morning when he tends the lamps. ⁸ He must burn incense again when he lights the lamps at twilight so incense will burn regularly before the Lord for the generations to come.^{(J) 9} Do not offer on this altar any other incense^(K) or any burnt offering or grain offering, and do not pour a drink offering on it. ¹⁰ Once a year^(L) Aaron shall make atonement^(M) on its horns. This annual atonement must be made with the blood of the atoning sin offering^[b](N) for the generations to come.^(O) It is most holy to the Lord.”

Atonement Money

¹¹ Then the Lord said to Moses, ¹² “When you take a census^(P) of the Israelites to count them, each one must pay the Lord a ransom^(Q) for his life at the time he is counted. Then no plague^(R) will come on them when you number them. ¹³ Each one who crosses over to those already counted is to give a half shekel,^[c] according to the sanctuary shekel,^(S) which weighs twenty gerahs. This half shekel is an offering to the Lord. ¹⁴ All who cross over, those twenty years old or more,^(T) are to give an offering to the Lord. ¹⁵ The rich are not to give more than a half shekel and the poor are not to give less^(U) when you make the offering to the Lord to atone for your lives. ¹⁶ Receive the atonement^(V) money from the Israelites and use it for the service of the tent of meeting.^(W) It will be a memorial^(X) for the Israelites before the Lord, making atonement for your lives.”

Basin for Washing

¹⁷ Then the Lord said to Moses, ¹⁸ “Make a bronze basin,^(Y) with its bronze stand, for washing. Place it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it. ¹⁹ Aaron and his sons are to wash their hands and feet^(Z) with water^(AA) from it. ²⁰ Whenever they enter the tent of meeting, they shall wash with water so that they will not die.^(AB) Also, when they approach the altar to minister by presenting a food offering to the Lord, ²¹ they shall wash their hands and feet so that they will not die. This is to be a lasting ordinance^(AC) for Aaron and his descendants for the generations to come.”^(AD)

Anointing Oil

²² Then the Lord said to Moses, ²³ “Take the following fine spices:^(AE) 500 shekels^[d] of liquid myrrh,^(AF) half as much (that is, 250 shekels) of fragrant cinnamon,^(AG) 250 shekels^[e] of fragrant calamus,^{(AH) 24} 500 shekels^(AI) of cassia^(AJ)—all according to the sanctuary shekel—and a hin^[f] of olive oil. ²⁵ Make these into a sacred anointing oil, a fragrant blend, the work of a perfumer.^(AK) It will be the sacred anointing oil.^{(AL) 26} Then use it to anoint^(AM) the tent of meeting, the ark of the covenant law, ²⁷ the table and all its articles, the lampstand and its accessories, the altar of incense, ²⁸ the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, and the basin with its stand. ²⁹ You shall consecrate them^(AN) so they will be most holy, and whatever touches them will be holy.^(AO)

³⁰ “Anoint Aaron and his sons and consecrate^(AP) them so they may serve me as priests.^{(AQ) 31} Say to the Israelites, ‘This is to be my sacred anointing oil^(AR) for the generations to come.^{(AS) 32} Do not pour it on anyone else’s body and do not make any other oil using the same formula. It is sacred, and you are to consider it sacred.^{(AT) 33} Whoever makes perfume like it and puts it on anyone other than a priest must be cut off^(AU) from their people.’”

Incense

³⁴ Then the Lord said to Moses, “Take fragrant spices^(AV)—gum resin, onycha and galbanum—and pure frankincense, all in equal amounts, ³⁵ and make a fragrant blend of incense,^(AW) the work of a perfumer.^(AX) It is to be salted and pure and sacred. ³⁶ Grind some of it to powder and place it in front of the ark of the covenant law in the tent of meeting, where I will meet^(AY) with you. It shall be most holy^(AZ) to you. ³⁷ Do not make any incense with this formula for yourselves; consider it holy^(BA) to the Lord. ³⁸ Whoever makes incense like it to enjoy its fragrance must be cut off^(BB) from their people.”

Bezalel and Oholiab^(BC)

31 Then the Lord said to Moses, ² “See, I have chosen Bezalel^(BD) son of Uri, the son of Hur,^(BE) of the tribe of Judah, ³ and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge^(BF) and with all kinds of skills^(BG)— ⁴ to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, ⁵ to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of crafts. ⁶ Moreover, I have appointed Oholiab^(BH) son of Ahisamak, of the tribe of Dan,^(BI) to help him. Also I have given ability to all the skilled workers^(BJ) to make everything I have commanded you: ⁷ the tent of meeting,^(BK) the ark of the covenant law^(BL) with the atonement cover^(BM) on it, and all the other furnishings of the tent— ⁸ the table^(BN) and its articles, the pure gold lampstand^(BO) and all its accessories, the altar of incense,^{(BP) 9} the altar of burnt offering^(BQ) and all its utensils, the basin^(BR) with its stand— ¹⁰ and also the woven garments^(BS), both the sacred garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons when they serve as priests, ¹¹ and the anointing oil^(BT) and fragrant incense^(BU) for the Holy Place. They are to make them just as I commanded^(BV) you.”

The Sabbath

¹² Then the Lord said to Moses, ¹³ “Say to the Israelites, ‘You must observe my Sabbaths.^(BW) This will be a sign^(BX) between me and you for the generations to come,^(BY) so you may know that I am the Lord, who makes you holy.^(BZ)

¹⁴ “‘Observe the Sabbath, because it is holy to you. Anyone who desecrates it is to be put to death;^(CA) those who do any work on that day must be cut off from their people. ¹⁵ For six days work^(CB) is to be done, but the seventh day is a day of sabbath rest,^(CC) holy to the Lord. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day is to be put to death. ¹⁶ The Israelites are to observe the Sabbath,^(CD) celebrating it for the generations to come as a lasting covenant. ¹⁷ It will be a sign^(CE) between me and the Israelites forever, for in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed.^(CF)’”^(CG)

¹⁸ When the Lord finished speaking to Moses on Mount Sinai,^(CH) he gave him the two tablets of the covenant law, the tablets of stone^(CI) inscribed by the finger of God.^(CJ)